Lady Griffindor AN AMERICAN?
by ProudMarineWife
Summary: things will be different
1. DisclaimerTitle Page

**Lady Griffindor; AN AMERICAN?**

Amanda Cobb

2012

**Summery: **

Things turn out differently for the scions of Black, Malfoy, Longbottom and Potter.

**Disclaimer:**

I don't own any recognizable Characters. Those belong to their creators. I am just borrowing them to make their lives a little better.

A.U. story in my AU series Necessary Disclosure, but not at all connected to that story.

To my followers, I am working on Amazon Spirit; it's just hard. I need a Xena marathon!


	2. Prologue

**Prologue**

_21 December 1979 _

_Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_8:30pm_

Eighteen-year-old Jonathan Ravenclaw waited patiently outside his betrotheds common room. Their marriage, arranged at her birth, was meant to be one of convenience and alliance. However Jonathan found that he genuinely liked his young fiancé. In fact, they had been dating since her third year.

Now on her 16th birthday, he was waiting to escort her to the Founders Hall, where they would be married, like all the founders descendants before them. It would be officiated by the Chief Warlock of the Wizzengammot, followed by Samantha taking her NEWTS half a year early. She was second in her class. It rankled the Ravenclaws that Griffindors held the top three spots. That didn't matter to Jonathan; he was no longer in school.

As the scion to the Most Ancient Most Noble House of Griffindor, Samantha, whose mother had preceded her grandmother, Lady Griffindor, in death, had more responsibilities both within the school and without than anyone else. Her father was an American Wizard within their armed services who did not care that his children would not bear his last name in the wizarding communities of the world. Jonathan mused that he wasn't bothered by it either. His elder brothers could carry on that line, just as Jacobs's son, Edwin, from his first marriage could carry on the Carter name.

The portrait door guarding Griffindor tower swung open and Samantha and her friends, including two of the self-named Marauders, laughingly spilled into the hall. Jonathan took her hand, noticing her Heirs signet ring on her right index finger. Around her neck she wore the Griffindor locket, which holds the proving stone. Griffindors only married those who proved their lineage by causing this stone to glow.

Jonathan and Samantha had performed the proving ceremony on his thirteenth birthday. Both possessed the necessary gene to operate the ancient technology of their ancestors and so were educated in the mind arts that predate anything Wizard. Every summer for five years the teens were educated and tested until they had mastered each area of expertise in Wizardry and that which came before as well as the customs of Wizardry and Mundane.

The group traveled noisily to the Founder's Hall, every portrait they passed kneeling to the young couple, where they met Lady Griffindor, Lord Jackson-Griffindor, Lieutenant Colonel Carter-Griffindor, Lord and Lady Ravenclaw and Lady Griffindor's Vassals and their scions. As the wedding ceremony began, Samantha's mind wandered to her mother, wishing she were there. It was possible that Elizabeth Griffindor had ascended, like her ancestors had, but not likely. She had believed that there was something above the enlightenment that was sought by Merlin and his people. A true and loving God. Samantha had no doubt that her mother was right.

Founder's Hall was not as ornate as the Great Hall. In fact most students walked right by the door without noticing it. It wasn't warded just ordinary. Most of the professors didn't know it was there either. Not even Headmaster Dumbledore, even though it was right down the hall from his office. Proving that arrogance and extravagance blind even the most wise.

After the hour long wedding ceremony came an equally important and little bit shorter ceremony, the reaffirmation of the Griffindor fealty oaths, this time to Samantha rather than her grandmother. Lady and Lord Griffindor stood behind their granddaughter and her new husband as Lord Charlus Potter of the Ancient and Noble house Potter, his Heir James, and James' wife Lilly were the first to reaffirm their oaths. The Potters vowed to honor the wishes and protect the heirs of the House of Griffindor. Lord Longbottom, his son Frank, and Frank's wife Alice pledged the same, as did Lord Malfoy of Malfoy.

Before he could retreat, Lady Griffindor addressed him, "Abraxus Malfoy, where is your son?"

Shame filled his entire body as he responded; "Lucius has betrayed his family by swearing oath to Lord Voldemort and taking his Mark. Narcissa is currently pregnant with a boy. Upon his birth in six months, he will be named my heir and I will disown Lucius."

Lady Griffindor nodded, "I propose that, upon his birth, Samantha and Jonathan take custody of him. To protect him from his fathers new master and from his father." Lord Malfoy hurriedly agreed. Lucius was lucky to have such a light punishment of loss of heir and title. He could have lost his magic or his life instead. Fealty oaths were nothing to scoff at in the wizarding world.

After Lord Malfoy had retreated to the back of the room, James Potter stepped forward to address Lady Griffindor. "My Lady Griffindor," he began, kneeling. He continued after she had motioned for him to rise, " my friend, my brother really in all but blood, Sirius Black, Scion of Blackmoore, has sworn an oath of camaraderie to the house Potter."

A young man with long black hair and a charming grin came to stand next to James, "Lady Griffindor, I have a letter from my father, Lord Orion Black of Blackmoore, Conveying his blessing and permission for me to ally the house of Black and the Lordship of Blackmoore to Griffindor." He brandished the sealed envelope like a flamboyant fencer, nearly severing James' ear with his exuberance. Jonathan relieved the excited eighteen-year-old of the letter and handed it to Lady Griffindor with a silent bow.

Lady Griffindor regarded Sirius silently over the top of the letter as her husband questioned, "do you understand what this oath entails?"

Sirius nodded, "yes, my lord.

"You understand," Lord Griffindor continued, "that you are not only swearing your magic to the Griffindor line but that of your heirs as well?"

Sirius nodded again, "I do, sir"

"Then so swear it."

Sirius knelt before the nobles and swore the oaths of both Lord and Heir. Lady Griffindor nodded her head in acceptance and he moved to stand with James. Lady Griffindor addressed the assembled room, "I shall convey the happy news of Oaths new and renewed to Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth, as well as the unhappy news of Lucius' defection and what has been done about it.


	3. Draco

**Chapter 1 Draco**

_03 JUNE 1980 RAF LYNEHAM, WILTSHIRE ENGLAND_

_2000 local time_

Samantha and Jonathan walked swiftly through the entrance to RAF Lyneham. They had arrived at the base the previous night, Samantha from the University of Manchester where she was a postgraduate student at the school of physics and astronomy and Jonathan from somewhere in the Soviet Union where his special ops unit just was.

He had decided, after Samantha had graduated from Hogwarts and entered the university, to join the American Air Force like his muggle grandfather Liam O'Neill. His mother, although a muggle-born, had wanted nothing to do with her father. That didn't stop her son from enlisting as Jonathan O'Neill. He had been quickly recruited for an England based black ops squadron because he had obtained a bachelor's degree in astronomy while he himself was at Hogwarts, and he was extremely talented at stealth. He was also dubbed the "luckiest bastard in the world" by his drill instructor in boot camp. Something about his ability to avoid injury, no matter how hard the sadistic nut-job tried. The name stuck so well that LBW quickly became his call sign.

Samantha had also attended undergraduate studies while in her last four years of Hogwarts. They had both been home-schooled before Hogwarts and during the summer holidays, and had taken the muggle SCE at 15 and 16 years old. They then used family time turners to study Muggle Astronomy. While Jonathan had been satisfied with Astronomy, and with fulfilling his Ravenclaw warrior line duties (which he would have until his first child was born, then his duties would fall to his younger brother) as a soldier in some form of military, Samantha wanted to pursue the deeper Astro-Physics. He chose Airman in the US Air force because his mundane grandfather was his personal hero. James O'Neill had flown B52s in the Army Air Corps during World War 2, one of the few with a wizard in his crew, Lord Richard Ravenclaw, who had joined the RAF when Germany invaded Poland, and was Jonathans other grandfather.

Samantha could not join the American military because the Oath to the service would be negated when she became Lady Griffindor, so she was settling for becoming Doctor Samantha Carter-O'Neill, PhD. They planned to have a Muggle marriage ceremony after her graduation, as the Air Force did not recognize their previous ceremony. To Lady Griffindor's abject horror, they had decided to wait to have children until after the second wedding. Samantha's theory was her hands would be full with the new Malfoy heir and her thesis to add another child to the mix, and at 17 she had plenty of time to produce an heir herself. A few kilometers from the RAF base, the pair stepped behind a tree and apparated to the gates of Malfoy Manor, a gift to Lucius Malfoy from his lord and Master Voldemort.

Suddenly the gate opened and Lucius, the disgraced son of Lord Malfoy, emerged dragging his very pregnant and nearly hysterical wife, Narcissa, behind him. He silently sneered at the other couple before attempting to calm his wife, "Cissa, we can have other children, an Heir fitting the Dark Lord." Unfortunately, this only made the poor woman cry harder. He shot one last look of loathing at Samantha and Jonathan then stormed back through the gates. Narcissa gained some composure as they clanged shut.

Since the pregnant woman could not safely apparate, Samantha called the Knight Bus. She led the older woman to a bed as Jonathan gave their destination to the conductor and paid him. Several harrowing stops and terrifying near misses later, the now nauseous party of three stumbled up the pathway to Griffindor Hall, about a mile outside of Godric's Hollow. Until the wards were passed, this castle was hidden to any not descended from or married to the Griffindor line. Griffindor Hall looked just like Hogwarts, only smaller and without the extra enchantments.

Another difference between Hogwarts and Griffindor Hall is that the Hall is a proper medieval castle. The knight bus had dropped them off about ten feet from the draw bridge that spanned a forty foot wide functioning moat. To the outside world, the moat is empty and grassy and all that stands of the castle itself is the draw bridge and outer bailey. Samantha smirked when Narcissa gasped as the rest of the castle suddenly appeared once they had passed through the barbican. She had had to hold the older woman's arm so that the redirection wards wouldn't convince her that the ruins were dangerous and about to crumble.

One of the things that set the Most Ancient Most Noble house of Griffindor apart from the rest of the wizarding world is their choice of servants. While the other families were using House Elves as indentured slaves, Griffindor had a colony of True Elves, whom they paid with money, food and protection. These elves have their own magic and for some inexplicable reason loved to clean. These Elves could also marry within the Magical community and be disguised as human. In fact, Samantha's cousin, Crispin Granger, her father's nephew, had met and married a woman from the village who was one quarter Elf. They had a daughter now and were happily ensconced in the mundane world as dentists. With her elfish blood so diluted, Cwenberg Granger nee Brightmore only retained her ancestor's affinity for painless healing. Crispin had been born in the United States, a half-blood wizard; he had been educated at home and kept in the mundane schools.

It was one of these Elves who opened the door for the trio. She gave no notice to Narcissa except to gesture for the woman's cloak. Samantha led Narcissa to the Great hall, where Lady Griffindor was entertaining guests, including the new Lord Potter, James and his pregnant wife Lilly, and the young Earl Sirius Black. Narcissa was seated next to her cousin as Samantha and Jonathan took the open seats to the right of Lady and Lord Griffindor respectively. Dinner was uncharacteristically quiet as the party regarded the young mother to be with distrust. Narcissa excused herself and was taken to her rooms on the second floor, where she broke down in fresh tears.

_05 JUNE 1980 GRIFFINDOR HALL, GODRIC'S HOLLOW, ENGLAND_

_0200 local time_

Narcissa Malfoy screamed as another contraction rocked her abdomen. This was her fourth contraction in twenty minutes, but her first scream, and she was determined that it would be her only scream. A sudden cease of movement from her usually overactive child had woken her five hours previously. The contractions starting an hour after that, and Narcissa had notified Gwendolyn Villon, the housekeeper and head Elf.

At first it had just been the two of them in the room, monitoring the contractions, but as they increased so did the number of beings in the room. Lord Abraxus Malfoy, who had arrived in the early afternoon on the previous day, was pacing just outside her chamber door. He had been notified by one of the Elves three hours into Narcissa's labor. She understood why he was so impatient, but the sound of his pacing was driving her crazy.

Samantha had joined her at the beginning of the fourth hour and convinced her to lie down on the bed. Elfish midwives were better than wizard or mundane because they didn't need potions or medicines to ease their patient's pain, and once she lay down Narcissa's labor went much more smoothly, with Draco Lucius Abraxus Malfoy making his bloody debut at 0230 on June the fifth, nineteen hundred and eighty. Narcissa cried once more as Gwendolyn placed the now clean, no longer screaming boy in her arms. She looked into his lake blue eyes and realized that they would pale to look like hers.

Narcissa was allowed ten weeks to recover and spend with her son before Abraxus took her back to Malfoy Manor. During this time, Lilly Potter had given birth to a son of her own, Harry. Both boys were presented to Lady Griffindor and Queen Elizabeth in a private ceremony on August fourth. By the time Narcissa left, she had grown to like Samantha Griffindor and that was something that had to be hidden from Lucius and Voldemort. She had also been given permission to write to Draco beginning on his fifth birthday, a privilege that could be revoked if the letters contain anything about Blood Purity being important. Narcissa didn't find this a problem because she secretly didn't give a tinker's damn about blood status.


	4. Hermione and Harry

Chapter Two Hermione and Harry

Crispin Granger was a half-blood wizard who grew up in Muggle America. His Witch mother tutored him at home while he went to St Mary's Academy, at the insistence of his father. When his aunt died, he attended her funeral and burial in Godric's Hollow, England. He had wandered away from the group towards the end of the service, mostly because his cousins' grief was tangible and overwhelming. Marcus, who was fifteen, Samantha, then only twelve and even Edwin who was twenty-five wore their heartbreak on their faces.

Crispin, at the very knowledgeable age of twenty-two, hadn't been as close to his Uncle Jacob's second wife. He had regarded her as backwards, her devotion to her family line, family history, and the regard British wizards held to their nobility were foreign concepts to the American boy. Not to mention he had really adored Rachel Carter, Edwin's mother who had left her husband when Crispin was five. For some reason he couldn't recall by the time Elizabeth Griffindor died, both he and Edwin had blamed her, even though she and Jacob hadn't even met until a year later. Edwin got over it by the time Marcus was born, but Crispin held out until he witnessed the grief of her family. He wondered why she had never told him how stupid and immature he was being.

Before he knew it, Crispin had wandered into the mundane side of Godric's Hollow, and into a book store. Without looking, really, Crispin grabbed a few books for his three cousins and walked up to the counter to pay. The woman he saw there was absolutely gorgeous. Her hair was honey golden and she had deep brown eyes. On a whim he asked her out, and then asked for her name. She giggled as he mentally beat himself for being stupid and introduced herself as Cwenberg Brightmore. Three years later they were married, and two years later, they had a daughter. A daughter named Hermione who was already doing accidental magic.

_July 31, 1981 Potter Manor, Godric's Hollow, England_

Crispin was surprised to receive an invitation to a party Samantha was throwing. Her grandmother had just died at the beginning of the month and she had taken her place as Lady Griffindor. Fortunately Samantha had given birth to twins six weeks prior, assuring her ailing grandparents that she would have an heir. The Twins had been "honeymoon babies", born 10 months after Samantha had finished her PhD and nine and a half months after she and Jonathan had been married in the mundane world. Little Draco Malfoy was a giggling toddler now, and little Harry Potter was turning one, thus the party invitation.

Samantha and her friend Lilly Potter had brought the two boys out to muggle London to buy them clothes. At the mall they had, literally in Samantha's case, ran into Cwenberg, who had taken Hermione to the same store. They agreed to have lunch together, and it happened. In the middle of a semi-crowded restaurant, Hermione and Harry began to pass a ball back and forth to each other. The problem was not the game; it was that the ball bouncing between them was a small ball of light that one of them had conjured. Samantha's mind was made up that moment.

The entire month of July had seen Crispin, Samantha and James Potter in negotiations over a marriage contract. At first the Grangers had balked but Samantha had calmly explained how this was a benefit to both children. "It isn't like we are actually making this decision for them," she pointed out, "they can back out at fifteen if they want. But this way Hermione is protected from the wizarding world's politics. You are an American wizard, Crispin, who doesn't practice magic. They have Hermione listed at the Ministry as a Muggle-Born! They don't recognize you as a wizard because you haven't used your wand since you moved to England and as far as they can tell, Cwen is muggle.

"Betrothal to Harry, the Heir to an Ancient and Noble house, will elevate her to Pure-Blood status. As distasteful as the concept is, England's wizarding communities are prejudiced against non-pure-bloods and creatures. If we don't provide her with protection now, when her Elven heritage comes out, she will be classified as a creature and her wand snapped. The blood testing and registering happens at age 17, so they would need to be married by Harry's sixteenth birthday. As the future Lady Potter, the ministry would not be able to touch her.

"Harry has his own problems. James and Lilly have told me about a prophecy that may concern Harry or another boy. This will be a big burden on the boy it speaks of, and I, for one, don't trust Albus Dumbledore to do right by Harry. If something were to happen to James and Lilly, and for some reason Sirius, Harry's godfather, could not care for him, He would come to live with his intended and her family. I know you and Cwen want other children of your own, but you can't deny that if Harry were an orphan you would take him in."

"That's true, Samantha, but what does this have to do with you? And couldn't you take him in?" Crispin asked feeling a little overwhelmed.

"As Lady Griffindor, I can arrange marriages for the children of my Vassals as well as my own children. Unless James has another child, Harry is the last of the Potter line. I cannot betroth Roxanne to him because doing so would end the Potters. All of the other Potters were killed in the war with Grindewald and World War two. I could take him in, but if something catastrophic happens to his family, the safest place for him would be the mundane world. And I would help you as much as I can, including educating the children in Societal customs. Whether you agree to betroth the children or not, I will extend House Griffindor protections over house Granger until Hermione reaches her majority. Starting when they are five, every summer will be spent with me. There is a lot for them to learn, including the true history of the wizarding race."

Crispin agreed to the betrothal and the initial contract was drawn up, signed, and filed with the ministry and with the Wizarding Bank Gringots. The Ancient and Noble House of Potter had agreed to pay for Hermione's wand and school supplies for all seven years of Hogwarts, plus 45 galleons per month in spending money starting her third year and ending the day after the wedding. Apparently the Potters believed in a bride price rather than a dowry. James told him that he had essentially paid for Lilly's sister's wedding as his bride price. He had wanted to do more but Sir Richard Evans had informed him that 20000 pounds was more than enough. The Most Ancient Most Noble House of Griffindor was to pay Hermione's full tuition to both a primary school and Hogwarts, as well as summer tuition in Wizarding Etiquette starting in her fifth summer.

Harry's first birthday party went along the same lines as all first birthdays go, with all the small children playing with the wrapping paper and boxes. The toys lay forgotten in a small pile as the four toddlers present threw paper at each other. Crispin stood next to Frank Longbottom as they watched their children play. He had just finished explaining to the other man exactly what a dentist did, and had a similar summery of Franks job as an Auror when there was a burst of rainbow colored lights from the children. Both men stood with their mouths open as Harry, Draco, Hermione, and the Longbottom's son Neville proceeded to change the brightly colored wrapping paper into something akin to fireworks.

The lights had gotten the attention of the only two professors from Hogwarts invited to this party, McGonagall and Flitwick. The diminutive man squeaked at his Scottish colleague, "this is a stunning display! Four babies performing magic that we didn't master until our late teens!" McGonagall could only nod. Samantha, upon seeing the display, softly ordered her vassals to bring their children to her castle. "please bring Hermione," she added to Crispin. He could only nod, his daughter was already more powerful than he ever had been, and it meant that the Granger family could not remain solely in the muggle world. That fact alone terrified him.

_Griffindor Hall July 31, 1981_

Samantha led the now subdued party through her great hall, down some stairs and into her dungeons. Griffindor Hall's dungeons hadn't been used for prisoners since Godric Slytherin's marriage to Lizbet Griffindor was contested by Godric's younger brother Richard Slytherin. Then the two elder brothers of the Slytherin line, Salazar and Godric had used Griffindor Hall as a base of operations for their campaign against their youngest brother. They also had the aid of their sister Lady Gwenevere Greengrass and her husband's family, Godric's future in-laws, and the Ravenclaw clan. The five families crushed the small army Richard had brought against the Griffindors. Slytherin, Griffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Greengrass stood firmly together for eighty more years against many Dark attempts to control the small wizarding community. They even founded Hogwarts to help educate young witches and wizards in the path of the light. Contrary to popular belief, it was Richard Slytherin's son who opposed mundane-born students. It was he who created the chamber, and his heir who could control the monster within. Richard had been held in Griffindor Hall dungeons for five years, friendless and angry, until Griffindor had an heir. He never forgave his brothers.

Now the dungeons are used to store artifacts of the wizarding world's ancestors, including the proving stone. Samantha knew she was breaking a dozen Griffindor bylaws, but the power displayed could mean nothing else. As the party, which included the Potters, Longbottom, McGonagall, Sirius Black and the Grangers, reached the doors to the deepest dungeon, they were met by Jonathan, who had just apparated home from his duty station. He was dirty and tired from his latest mission but he smiled and opened the door anyway. What nobody except Samantha and Jonathan knew was that the Proving stone had several functions, including detecting the gene for using Alterran technology in infants. Jonathan called for their children's nannies as Samantha worked the controls. Once the Griffindor twins, Roxanne and Elizabeth, had been brought down, Jonathan ushered the group of people loitering anxiously in the hall into the large room.

To prove to the other anxious parents that the artifact was safe, and what it did, Samantha took her first born, Roxanne, and laid the eight week old baby in front of the stone. Suddenly the stone began to glow, vibrant blue. When Lilly saw that Roxanne was unharmed, she maneuvered her now sleeping son into Samantha's waiting arms. She had barely set the boy down when the same vibrant glow filled the room. James had carried Draco, who was also sleeping, over and placed him in the same spot. His glow was not as bright as Harry's, but, it was still there. Neville and Hermione also activated the light. Lastly Elizabeth, the younger twin, had to be tested. House Griffindor did not choose her heirs, in the case of twins, by order of birth but by strength of the gene. Elizabeth's glow was brighter than her sisters, and the Griffindor crest embossed itself on her dress, Lady Samantha Griffindor had an heir to present to the Queen.


	5. Bloody Halloween

**Chapter Three: Bloody Halloween**

**A.N I am so very sorry, the computer that this chapter was on is having some battery and charging issues so I have to rewrite it. I will most likely discover that it is completely different than what's on that computer.**

**This chapter contains manipulation, distrust, attempted murder, murder, betrayal and flight from authorities. As of right now, I haven't decided if James is going to die…**

_Godric's Hollow, Wales_

_October 29, 1981_

_1930pm_

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, current Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, Chief Warlock of the Wizzengammot pasted a mournful expression onto his face. It really was not a hard act; he genuinely liked Lilly Evens Potter, and James too, a little. His major problem was that James' loyalties lay with Lady Samantha Gryffindor, who did not trust Albus Dumbledore. That was fine by him, he was sure she was dark. After all her husbands job was to kill people, the Muggle way. Only an evil wizard would stoop to that level.

Albus shook his head; he had to stay in the correct mind frame to convince the Potters that they were in danger. Even more so to convince James Potter to use Peter Pettigrew as a secret keeper, and to NOT tell Lady Gryffindor any of it. It was imperative that everybody in Briton believed that Sirius Black, heir of Blackmore, was the keeper, it was the only way to protect Peter from Death Eaters. He motioned for the small, rat-faced man to follow him.

Peter Pettigrew, for his part, could not believe his luck. He had joined the Death Eaters right after Hogwarts. James and Sirius had all but abandoned him to be with their women and "honor family commitments." He scoffed internally, those two had never had honor. They were reprobate Blood Traitors who consorted with, and in James' case married, Mudbloods. They did not know the definition of Honor. Peter, on the other hand, was a Pureblood.

His family was so into blood purity that they had married within second cousins for centuries. The Pettigrew clan was almost as pure as the Gaunts, more pure than even the Malfoys and Blacks. Those two families allowed for marriage outside their own bloodlines, weakening some gifts, like the Black gift of Metamorph in misguided attempts to strengthen their magical cores. For Example, Bellatrix Lestrange-her mother was a Rosier, a new Pureblood family from France, only seven generations of pureblood.

Then Cygnus Black allowed his oldest to marry a Lestrange, who have only six generations. Peter's father considered the lot of the Blacks Blood Traitors, but tolerated them out of fear. Cygnus and Orion Black were formidable experts at Black Magic, and had more power than Cyril Pettigrew by spades. Not to mention, the entire Black family, save two, served Voldemort and he did not take well to unprovoked attacks on his most faithful servants. Rumor was he was even going to ask Bellatrix to carry his Heir, if he hadn't already. She had been looking slightly thicker around the middle, but not unattractively so.

The duplicitous men soon arrived at the Potter household. Lilly had opened the door as soon as she had seen them and Peter had plastered on a large grin. The visitors were greeted like the old friends they were, and invited inside. Albus was surprised to see James pacing by the fireplace, looking pensive. This morose young man was a far cry from the cheerful, and mischievous boy he had been at school, and neither Albus nor Peter could determine why. Even Lilly, who had always had an easy smile, looked strained and worn once the door was closed. Their unguarded expressions merely demonstrated how well the couple trusted their friends. Peter almost felt guilty as Dumbledore began his speech/lecture.

"James, Lilly I have grave news." The ancient man's voice was rasping and solemn as he spoke, but Lilly could clearly see the twinkle in his eyes. She signaled James with a slight finger movement and he responded with a blink. They gave their full attention to the Headmaster as he again tried to get James to join his Order fully. After listening to the man say nothing important, or remotely "grave," Lilly had to interrupt him.

"Albus," she said, cutting off his nonsensical monologue about the Dark Lord, "What was your news?"

The old man sighed and said; "I know that Bellatrix and Roldolphus Lestrange approached you and James last week, Lilly. I know that you were with Lady Samantha Gryffindor, and her husband. I know that you were made yet another offer to join Voldemort, that he would overlook your blood status because he was in need of a Transfiguration Mistress."

"Then you also, since you are so well informed, that all four of us refused her offer. You know, since there are obviously spies for you here in this village, that Roldolphus lost his temper and attempted to curse Lilly, only to have Lady Gryffindor, Lilly, myself, and his own wife jinx him in response." James said, his voice snapping with rage as his eyes seethed and darkened to black. How dare Albus insert spies into Gryffindor lands, particularly the village for which James was responsible?

"Calm down, my boy!" Albus was horrified, he was not expecting rage from James, Lilly maybe, and if she were present, definitely Samantha, but James was the levelheaded one. "Bathelda Bagshot, who lives in the village, is an old friend of mine and she told me. No spy, just idle gossip that turned into a problem. This is the third time you have defied Voldemort. He will not let this go easily. I have a proposition."

When Albus and Peter left the house, four hours later, the headmaster had managed to convince them to hide their house's location within Peter without really telling them that their son was in greater danger than they were. Peter was floating on air, even though Dumbledore hadn't managed to secure James' promise not to tell Gryffindor anything, Peter was still the one holding the secret. The unknown Death Eater could deliver the boy on a silver platter, oh how his master would reward him. Maybe the Dark Lord would even gift him one night with Narcissa or Bellatrix, the two most beautiful Death Eaters.

James Potter watched his old friends leave, certain he had just made a major mistake. As soon as the other men had left, he gathered his small family and apparated to Gryffindor Hall.

_October 31, 1981_

_2250_

_Gryffindor Keep_

Lady Samantha Gryffindor stripped the Muggle costume off of the sleeping form of Draco Malfoy. In keeping with familial tradition, she had taken her child, ward and the children of her vassals Trick-or-Treating, or as her grandmother always called it, mingling with the villagers. It was a good thing, even though it was no longer the noble's responsibility to solve local problems, to remind the Muggle villagers of their Lady's presence and her willingness to join them in all things. This insured that, if there was a problem within the village, the Muggles would address it with her rather than phone the police, thereby maintaining the Statute of Secrecy.

It was also her duty to teach the children to respect the villagers, and Halloween the Muggle way was the perfect opportunity to do it. Even though none of the children top the age of two, yet, they still heard their parents being friendly and polite, and learned from it. Hermione and Harry had both even attempted to say "Thank you." Of course it came out, "Tk you" in Hermione's case and "you-you" in Harry's. But they were the out going pair, Neville and Draco had been silent and shy the entire time.

At the end of the night, not long after the children had all fallen asleep, the Longbottoms, Potters, and Grangers apparated home, thus leaving Samantha and Draco on the path to the Hall. She could feel the foreboding in the air as she hurried up the path. Draco had nearly woken three times, whimpering all the while as the night's air became colder and heavier. Jonathan had flung open the heavy Great Door and ushered her inside even as he flicked his wand to lower the ancient heavy gate.

Even two hours later, Samantha was still wishing for a moat, and drawbridge. She told herself again, as she laid Draco in his bed, that she was being ridiculous. She left his room and moved to the Dining Hall, where Jonathan had laid out all of the candy the boy had collected. Just as Samantha remembered, the villagers had been all to eager to load the child with sweets. She was about to begin casting detection and preservation spells when three bodies suddenly appeared on her floor. With a cry of despair, which set off the newly arrived baby, Samantha realized that the Potters had been betrayed.

Lilly was most definitely dead, her face peaceful, not a mark on her body. The Killing Curse then. But James, her long time friend who was raised alongside her, was covered in blood and still breathing, albeit barely. Jonathan was already casting healing spells so Samantha moved over to little Harry. He was bleeding also, but only from his forehead and not profusely. Leaving the little family to Jonathan, Samantha floo-called her other vassals, and Amelia Bones, the head of the Auror Corps.


End file.
